


The Dawn Will Come, the Sun Shining Absolution

by Tahrovinlaat_Hi_Neh_Koraav



Series: Tales from the Nexus [7]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alduin needs a hug, Angst, Backstory, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, End of the World, F/M, Foreshadowing, Forgiveness, Group Hugs, Guilt, Human Experimentation, M/M, Mention of torture, Minowa Norddahl needs a hug, Multi, No one escapes the group higs, Not Canon Compliant, Origin Story, Psychological Trauma, So much trauma, Survivor Guilt, Whump, everybody needs a hug, for Skyrim, mega spells, or at least Dragonborn experimentation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-09 16:37:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20997953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tahrovinlaat_Hi_Neh_Koraav/pseuds/Tahrovinlaat_Hi_Neh_Koraav
Summary: Minowa Norddahl and Alduin have held the secrets of their origins close to their chests for over a million years, grief and guilt and fear keeping the story from being told and shared. Now, after everything they and their partners have been through... the Dragonborn and World Eater are finally ready to lay the story bare before the ones who have come to mean so much to them.SHOULD BE READ DIRECTLY AFTER CHAPTER 46





	The Dawn Will Come, the Sun Shining Absolution

**Author's Note:**

> THIS ONE WILL HIT YOU HARDER THAN BATTLE SCARS EVER COULD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. 
> 
> Seriously, this one is going to rip you guys into pieces. Sorry, not sorry.

“**They’re going to want to know.**”

Footsteps thudded heavily against the ground as Minowa paced agitatedly. “I am _ well _ aware of that. The fact doesn’t make it easier.” 

Slit-pupiled crimson eyes narrowed as they followed the woman’s movements. “**Do you think I don’t know that, ** ** _Dovahkiin_ ** **? We have never told anyone the full story. Given who these men are to us… they at least ** ** _deserve_ ** ** the truth.**”

“Alduin, you are not helping in the slightest!” Minowa finally shouted, ocean-blue eyes filled with fire and fear as she spun to him. “How am I supposed to just _ tell _ them what I did?! How do I tell them what I was made into, and what I then caused?! I…” She shuddered hard, the fight seeming to drain from her. “I love them, Alduin… I can’t lose them, not when they have so much of me already…” She croaked, looking up with heartbreaking fear in her gaze and expression.

A deep sigh escaped Alduin has he pushed himself off the wall where he had been leaning, smoothly striding over to her and pulling her into his arms. Minowa immediately relaxed a bit into the arms of the taller male, taking comfort in his warmth. “**I understand that you are afraid, ** ** _Dovahkiin_ ** **. This is the first you have taken partners in such a way since… well, I need not remind you.** ” He pulled away and gently tilted her head up so they were eye to eye. “ **But if you desire to have a truly unbreakable bond with them, communication must be open. Minowa,** ” He gently reached to cup her face with his hands, thumbs rubbing her cheekbones, “ **Do not allow your fear keep you from them, not when they have brought so much light to your life already. Let them in, let them help you heal.**” 

Tears welled up in Minowa’s eyes as she finally choked on a sob, burying her face into the chest in front of her. Alduin didn’t waste any time in wrapping her in his arms, murmuring soothingly to her and comforting her. Finally, once she’d cried herself into an exhausted state, she finally nodded and whispered, “Okay. I’ll tell them. I--”  
  
“ **Good. I will take that as consent, and will now apologize in advance for this.**”

Before Minowa could react, she felt magic flow over her, and she went practically boneless in his arms as a wave of drowsiness hit her. “Alduin,” She slurred as the _ Dovah _ swept her into his arms, “what in Oblivion--?”

Slit-pupiled crimson eyes gazed down at her, a haunted look shining within them. “**I will not let you relive the events that led us here. I will tell them what happened. After all… the fault does not rest only on your shoulders, ** ** _brinaahi_ ** **.**” 

“I… you don’t have to… I can… not your fault...” Minowa yawned, even as she tried to protest. 

Seeing the bit of fight still left in the blonde, Alduin gave a soft, rumbling laugh as he gently set Minowa in bed, reaching for the blanket nearby. “**Allow me to do this for you, ** ** _Dovahkiin_ ** **. This is a burden you have carried on your own for long enough**.” 

Minowa didn’t get a chance to respond to that before finally plunging into darkness, magical sleep overtaking her. 

\--- 

“Minowa, are you here??” 

Silence met the group of four men in response, and Bruce hummed in confusion. “Strange, normally she’s here this time of day. Maybe in our room?”

“Yeah, she might be hanging out in there on her tablet or somethin’. James, you wanna check on her?” Logan called over his shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen. “Gonna get us some drinks for what happens next.”  
  
The assassin nodded and quietly slipped from the room, and Victor took a seat on the couch nearby. “Are we sure this is a good idea?” The monarch asked softly, looking towards the kitchen where he could see Logan moving around, then to Bruce who sat on the couch next to him. “I mean, it may just be me still being new to this group, but I feel like we’re kind of prying into her personal business.”

Bruce reached over and gently grabbed Victor’s hand before pulling the smaller male into his lap. “Well, if she doesn’t want to tell us, she doesn’t have to. But Vic… you saw what she looked like when we came in.” 

“If Min’s hurtin’ because of something, we wanna help her.” Logan confirmed as he set several varieties of alcohol on the table before flopping down on Bruce’s other side and pulling the man into a quick kiss. “We love her, Vic.” He said plainly, giving the man a kiss on the head. “We wanna show her that she doesn’t have to be the strong one all the time.” 

“Guys, we have a problem!” 

Heads all snapped in the direction of the doorway that James exploded out of, holding Minowa close to his chest. “What in the world?!” Bruce gently passed Victor off to Logan before moving to James’ side to check the woman’s vitals. “Where are her horns, and why is she blonde?? James, you found her like this??” The assassin nodded with a tight, fearful look on his face. “Her vitals are normal, why isn’t she waking up??”  
  
“ **She won’t wake. Not until I end the spell.** ” All at once, several weapons were aimed in the direction of the skylight window that had been installed for when Min used the Dragoon armor. The ebony-haired figure didn’t even flinch, familiar slit-pupiled crimson eyes blinking lazily down at them. “ **Put the gun away, ** ** _Strunodi_ ** **,** ” Alduin sighed as he turned his gaze to James. “ **There is no danger here-- none that would not be easily taken care of by us, at least.**”

Logan slowly pulled his claws in as he uncurled himself from around Victor. “Alduin??” 

The dovah nodded before dropping gracefully from the skylight, wings flaring out to slow his descent and allow for a softer landing. “** _Paaz vulon, Diilokaale_ ** **. ** ** _Krosis_ ** **, I apologize for startling you all.** ” He greeted them as he stepped forward, a small, sad smile quirking at his lips. A second or two later, the smile fell into a haunted, grim look. “ **You all have questions, and rightfully so. I would ask that you wait, however-- there is one more we are waiting for.**”

The group looked at each other in curiosity and confusion, though it only lasted a handful of seconds before the sound of someone knocking on the door drew their attention, and once he’d gotten a nod from Alduin Bruce stood and moved to answer it. On the other side stood a worried looking Erik Stevens. “Hey, sorry to bother you, but FRIDAY said I was needed here.” Bruce’s eyes widened in realization, and he immediately stepped back to let the man in. Erik got three steps into the room before he froze at the sight of Alduin standing in the suite’s living room among Minowa’s various partners. 

Seeing the way Erik’s hand twitched as if it wanted to reach for a weapon, a rumbling laugh escaped Alduin again. “**That you would have such a similar response as they did... it does not surprise me.**”

Erik immediately froze, recognizing the voice of the unfamiliar man. “Wait a damn-- Alduin?? But where’s Min??” 

Alduin gestured towards where James was holding the woman in question, and Erik was across the room in a flash with a concerned look on his face. James allowed him to check her, sensing his own genuine worry for the woman. Upon getting a confused look from the ex-Marine, a heavy, resigned sigh escaped the _ dovah _ . “ **You all have questions for us-- whether as a result of things you have seen from both myself or the _Dovahkiin_** **or heard us allude to.** ” Crimson and black eyes slid shut for a moment, even as an eerie quiet fell over the group as a whole. “ **The truth is not one that is easily spoken of… but Minowa has held these secrets for too long as it is, and she agrees with that. She wished to tell you of these things herself…** ” His eyes opened again, and he slowly walked over to Min to reach down and run his fingers through her blonde locks. “ **... but I would not allow her. She has been haunted by those memories enough-- I will not force her to relive them. Besides…** ” He looked up at them all, his expression dark with grief and guilt. “ **The blame does not rest on her shoulders alone, no matter how hard she tries to keep it there.**”

Silence reigned for several seconds before Bruce finally asked in a whisper that seemed so loud in the stillness, “What _ happened _ to you both?”

The _ dovah _ was silent for a moment, taking the chance to look each and every one of them in the eye. Finally, he moved back to his previous position so they could all see him, and he drew himself up as he said, “ **I will not lie-- this will not be an easy tale to tell, even if there are a million years between the events of the past and now. Please… have patience with me.** ” The men nodded with murmured promises that they would, and Alduin took a deep breath and collected his thoughts before continuing. “ **Minowa has told you all of the legend of the Dragonborn, and the prophecy surrounding the inevitable battle between herself and I. After the fight was won, our father Akatosh appeared before us.** ” He saw Bruce, Logan, and James perk up at his words, prompting a small smile from him. “ ** _Geh_ ** **, yes, the very same one you met not long ago. Akatosh has always believed that experience is the best teacher, and in an effort to teach me humility and the worth of those I had tried to suppress and destroy, he bound my soul to the Dovahkiin.** ” A soft laugh escaped him at that. “ **Needless to say, neither she nor I were pleased by this decision at first. In hindsight, Minowa had far more reason to be angry.** ” He reached up and touched his own horns, a sad smile on his lips as he looked towards Bruce. “ **She has always told you her horns and eyes were battle trophies, ** ** _Diisu’um…_ **”

It took the doctor only a moment to pick up on what the _ dovah _ was trying to say. “Wait… are you telling me that _ this _ is what she normally looks like??” He gestured to the blonde sleeping in James’ lap. 

Alduin nodded at his question, regret briefly flickering in her eyes. “**You can imagine the kind of reception Minowa got when she returned from Sovngarde bearing the same horns and eyes as the evil that had threatened the land to begin with.** ” He said softly, a twinge of pain tugging at his heart at the memory of how lost and hurt and betrayed Minowa had felt when faced with the distrust and consternation and fear from the very people she had tried to save to begin with. “ **It didn’t take long for most of her allies to turn their backs on her and begin treating her as a pariah. Even though she ** ** _did_ ** ** have friends that remained by her side, it was still a heavy blow to her…**”

Logan gave a small huff at that. “Going from being the world’s darling to being their boogeyman… Damn. And after she saved them all and everything, too.” 

“**Indeed. But such actions didn’t just leave her without allies… it left her open and vulnerable to attack. It’s how we were so easily found and captured by the Thalmor not long after.**”

Victor tilted his head in confusion from his place in Logan’s lap. “Thalmor? What are Thalmor?”

A look of fiery anger briefly flashed across Alduin’s face. “**The Thalmor are the Tamriel equivalent of the Third Reich-- elven supremacists dedicated to forcing the world under their thumb, by any means necessary.** ” James’ eyes flashed with horror and fury, and his grip tightened around Minowa. The _ dovah _ saw the motion and gave him a compassionate smile. “ **Minowa suffered terribly under them, and there was only so much I could do to aid her. I had come to respect the _D_** ** _ovahkiin _ ** **by that point, and even ** ** _I_ ** ** would not have wished such torture upon another.**”

Erik swallowed hard, casting a look over at the super-soldier next to him, who had gone sheet white at his words. After a moment of thought, he slowly reached up to gently rest a supportive hand on James’ shoulder, and the brunette gave him a brief look of gratitude. “Why would they do that? What did they have to gain from that kind of bullshit?” The dark-skinned man asked, his own eyes filled with anger on behalf of the woman in question.

Crimson and black eyes slid to him. “**The answer to that is twofold. First, Minowa directly stood in the way of their plans and goals, and her very ** ** _existence_ ** ** was an affront to their beliefs. They were never kind to those who defied them in any way… however, there was another reason, one that stood far above that.** ” Alduin hesitated for a moment, something raw and pained flashing in his eyes. “ **I will not lie to you all… they were performing experiments on her-- on us.**” 

The room erupted into a cacophony of furious cries, some in different languages. James pulled Min even closer to himself as icy rage flashed in his eyes, and Erik quickly moved to soothe Bruce, who had gone decidedly green at Alduin’s words. Logan had to bury his nose in Victor’s hair as the monarch trembled and snuggled against him. It took several minutes for the room to settle again, and Victor finally croaked from his seat, “Why would they _ do _ that? How _ could _they?? What would that have even accomplished??” 

“**As I said before, ****_Diimalkro_****. The Thalmor were not above doing terrible things to achieve their goals. As for what they were trying to accomplish…**” For a moment, Alduin looked towards James with a stricken look on his face, and an icy dread filled the assassin for whatever was about to be said next. “**They… created a spell-- one that required the power of souls to fuel. Once the soul’s finite power was spent, the victim would perish.**” The dovah took a deep breath, and the group could see the way the being was beginning to falter a bit. “**It was a twisted, ****_evil_**** thing the likes of which I hope to never see again. Upon being cast or triggered, it created a wave of necrotic magic that would continue to radiate outward from the intended point until the spell was cut, or the current victim died.** **Initial tests yielded promising results-- the necrotic magic stripped the life from flora, fauna, man, and mer.**”

A snarl twisted at Logan’s face at the implications. “That’s a weapon of mass destruction! Fuck, they could wipe out the entire damn world like that!” 

Instantly, an odd, wounded sound escaped the _ dovah _ accompanied by a flinch. The room went utterly silent at the reaction, and after a moment Alduin finally spoke again. “ **Minowa and I, we were powerless to stop them… We never meant… they’d been using animal and human souls, finite sources of power, they didn’t realize--!** ” He gave another small choked noise, something agonizing flashing across his face again. “ **They… they hooked us into the spell, thinking dragon souls were more powerful and had a greater capacity… they were right. But they greatly miscalculated, because ** ** _dovahsil_ ** **… ** ** _Diilokaale,_ ** ** dragons are ** ** _immortal_ ** **. That power never runs out.**”

A choked sob escaped Victor as the full implication of the mistake finally hit him. “Oh no… Oh Alduin, don’t tell me…!”

Alduin bowed his head, unable to look any of them in the eye as he finally ground out, “**They started the spell… and then couldn’t turn it ** ** _off_ ** **. There was nothing they could do, nothing to counter it…** ” His wings twitched violently for a moment as he took a deep, shaky breath and finally whispered, “ **The spell spread out until it covered the planet, and only stopped because there was nothing left. In the end… It was our fault. We destroyed our world.**” Before any of them could respond to that, the male suddenly spun on his heel, and with a single beat of his wings launched himself through the skylight, disappearing within a second or two. He didn’t dare look back as the group called out to him-- he didn’t want to see the looks of anger and horror that surely awaited him.

\---

“Any sign of him?”

Logan sighed and shook his head as he flopped down on the couch next to Bruce. “Nothin’, and no one else has seen him either. I didn’t think it could get much worse than what any of us have been through, but…” After a moment, he looked towards the bedroom. “How is James holding up?” 

A sigh escaped Erik at that, and he looked towards the bedroom as well. “Honestly, he doesn’t seem to want to leave her side. I can’t say I blame him, after that bombshell.” He looked up as Victor approached him with a cup of coffee, and he gave the monarch a smile and a murmured ‘thanks’ before taking a sip. “I could tell they’d been through some shit, but… god_ damn _, I never expected anything like that. 

Bruce nodded with a sympathetic smile on his face. “I had a feeling she’d experienced some traumatic experiences, but… _ none _ of us knew how deep it went, how bad it was, and we’re her _ partners _.” 

Nodding at the scientist’s words, Logan followed up with, “And from what Alduin was saying, they’ve never told ** _anyone_ **. Both Min and Al are over a million years old, and they’ve been carrying that guilt around for all that time.” 

“But it wasn’t their fault!” Victor chimed in, a stricken look on his face and tears in his eyes. Erik quickly wrapped a supportive arm around his shoulders as the monarch continued, “They were victims in that whole thing, they don’t have to feel guilty!”

“It’s not that simple, Vic.” The voice pulled their attention to where James was approaching them, a shadowed, haunted look on his face as he sank into an armchair, arms wrapped around himself in a protective position. “That kind of guilt… it can’t just be fixed with an ‘it wasn’t your fault’ or ‘you’re not to blame’. I wish it could be, but…” 

A chill suddenly blew through the room, causing all of them to shudder. “Hey, did Alduin leave the skylight open? I feel like I just got dropped into a walk in freezer.” Erik asked as he looked around. 

“He did, but I just closed it.” The group as a collective jumped at the new voice, and Mortis chuckled softly at the multitude of weapons that were aimed in his direction as a result. “Ironic though it may be, I’m pretty sure you can’t kill _ death _.”

Bruce huffed out a gusty sigh as the implements were stored away again. “Good evening, Mortis. Is there a reason you’ve decided to grace us with your presence tonight?”

Death nodded at that, his expression becoming slightly mournful. “Indeed, there is. I know Alduin told you all about what they went through…” The Truth shook his head, brow pinched and lips drawn in a grim line. “You know, I still don’t think Hadrian has forgiven Akatosh for what he suggested… Everything about that event was troubling, but finding her in the state she was in…”

“Wait, hold on.” James spoke up, uncurling a little and straightening a bit. “What do you mean ‘finding her’, and what are you talking about with Akatosh?” 

Mortis set his cane to one side and sat in the shadowy chair that formed behind him. “Alduin only managed to get halfway through the story before he left. He told you the spell wiped out their world, flora, fauna, or otherwise… but there was one being it didn’t get-- _ them _.” Seeing that he now had the group’s full attention, he continued, “When Akatosh bound Alduin’s soul to Minowa, it had the… unanticipated side effect of making her immortal. Even after all life around her had perished, she was unable to die.” The being closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. “Though… not for lack of trying those first few years, not to mention the last few.”

A choked noise escaped Bruce at that. “Wait, she tried to kill herself?” 

“Several times, more than I can count, in fact. The problem was that, because of the way she was bound to Alduin, both souls were tethered to her body… and there was no way to make both souls leave simultaneously.” Mortis closed his eyes again. “Honestly, I don’t think even _ she _ knows how long she was trapped on that world. Eventually, the isolation began to affect her psyche, and by the time she was found…” A grimace twisted at his face, “Well, the phrase ‘lights on, nobody’s home’ exists for a reason.” 

The group exchanged another round of agonized, horrified looks. “How… how did she escape?” Erik finally asked. 

Mortis’ lips twitched up into a small smile. “She didn’t-- she was rescued by Master Hadrian. I had informed him that there was a world that was supposed to be starting its next cycle, but something wasn’t letting it-- something was keeping it anchored. The only way that would be possible was if there was something still left on the world that was alive. Needless to say, my master was intrigued and slightly worried by such a development and went to find the problem himself. He was met by Akatosh and Arkay, who had been forced to watch Minowa and Alduin continue to deteriorate without being able to do anything. Nothing they tried could reach her, and Akatosh finally asked Master Hadrian to just… _ force _ the cycle. Hadrian did _ not _ take kindly to the request.” 

“Why? Wouldn’t that have fixed everything?” Victor asked with a frown. 

The Truth gave him a shake of the head in reply to that. “For everyone else-- yes. But if Hadrian had forced the cycle with Min still on world… she wouldn’t die. She would simply be erased from existence.” The group made a collective noise of shock, horror, and fear, prompting a nod from Mortis. “Hadrian had much the same reaction.” 

“But Akatosh is basically their _ dad _!” Logan snarled in anger. “How could he ask something like that??”

Mortis gave the mutant a sympathetic smile. “I understand your anger, Logan Howlett, but you must understand that Akatosh… he had to watch his children suffer for over hundreds of years. How would _ you _ feel if you had to watch young Alexia suffer for that long-- unable to reach out and comfort her, support her, be _ there _ for her? Akatosh’s request was not one born of apathy or disregard, but of desperation to see the suffering of his children finally, _ finally _ come to an end.” Logan deflated at his words, nodding in concession at the Truth’s point. “Instead of doing as he asked, though, Master Hadrian offered a different choice. He would take them in as agents of death, allowing them to no longer be bound to Nirn. The next cycle could start, and Minowa and Alduin would have the chance to be free to live again.” 

A soft sigh escaped James at that. “Damn… remind me to give Hadrian a handshake, a hug, and the most expensive bottle of booze I can get my hands on the next time I see him.” 

The sound of someone clearing their throat pulled everyone’s attention to Bruce. “There’s something else I want to know about-- why she has the Fractures.” 

A deep sigh escaped the Truth at the request. “Truthfully, I don’t think Minowa ever fully mentally recovered from the trauma she suffered. They trigger because her mind, her _ psyche _, cant handle whatever it is she's dealing with, and thus falls back on basic, almost animalistic instinct. Perhaps they’ll stop now that you’ve been made aware of the full story.” He steepled his hands over his chest, fixing everyone with a piercing look for a moment. “However, you now need to decide where to go from here.” 

“Well, that part is obvious,” James said without hesitation, “the question now is how to help them. We could tell both of them up and down the block for the rest of our lives that it wasn’t their fault… but they’d have to believe that for _ themselves _first.” 

Slowly, a smile stretched across Death’s face. “Or perhaps you’re not looking at this the right way.” James looked back at him with a confused look, and Mortis fixed him with a knowing look. “Perhaps ‘it wasn’t your fault’ isn’t what they need to hear, but something said to _ you _ not that long ago by someone hurt indirectly _ by _you.”

It took only half a second for James to realize what he was trying to say, but before he could respond there was the sound of gears suddenly shifting in the skylight above them, and Death gave them a wink and a bow before flickering out of existence. A second or two later, it opened fully, Alduin slipping through once it had. He landed and got only a step or two before he froze, realizing the room was full. Seeing the being’s wings beginning to twitch in preparation to take off again, James called out, “Alduin, wait.” 

The ebony haired man froze, and the sniper stood in a slow, controlled movement. The _ dovah _ continued to watch him warily as he approached, though that expression turned to confused shock when he found himself being pulled into an embrace by the man. “ ** _Strunodi,_ ** ** what--?**”

“We forgive you.” Whatever words may have been said next died in Alduin’s throat, and the others saw a look of shocked incomprehension flash over his face. James squeezed tighter as he continued, “Even if we don’t think you did anything wrong, we forgive you for everything, _ all of it _ . We forgive _ you _ , and we forgive _ Minowa _ , and we’ll tell her that ourselves once she wakes up, but this doesn’t have to hurt you anymore. _ We forgive you, Alduin _.” 

The others in the room immediately stood to join the hug, echoing the sentiment. Something in the being’s chest loosened all at once, tension flooding from him as he sighed and basked in the comfort and support of his partners. While it was true he didn’t have the same _ kind _ of love for them as Minowa did, they still were important in their own way, and what he felt for them could be described as love-- he didn’t have much experience in such a thing, but oh well. He was content to remain in the middle of their impromptu group hug, even if he _ did _ tower over them just a bit. Finally, as they began to pull away, he gave them all a tremulous, grateful smile and murmured, “ ** _Kogaan, Diilokaale_ ** **. Thank you. I think that is something I’ve needed to hear for quite a long time.** ” They all gave him a smile, and he cast a quick look around. “ **Now, where is Minowa? I believe that may be something ** ** _she_ ** ** needs to hear as well.** ” James immediately left to retrieve the woman, and as he sat with her in his lap again the _ dovah _ moved and knelt in front of them, and his fingers began to glow a soft teal color as he ran his fingers through her hair once. A second or two later, she shifted and mumbled under her breath. A grumble of ‘five more minutes’ prompted a chuckle from them all. “ ** _Dovahkiin_ ** **, our partners miss you.**” 

Immediately her eyes snapped open, and there were several shocked murmurs at the beautiful blue color that was revealed. They found Alduin’s crimson and black, and after a moment she dropped her gaze again. “You finally told them?” 

The _ dovah _ gave her a small smile and a nod. “ **I did.**”

Seeing the nervous look on Min’s face, James pulled her tight against him, prompting a startled noise out of the woman. “Min, no matter what happened back then, it doesn’t change the fact that we love you, okay? We love you, and we forgive you for it, for everything.” 

Minowa stared at him with a look of shocked incomprehension before looking at the others as well. Before she could speak, they converged on the couch to pull her into a tight group hug. Tears welled up in her eyes, and a second later she was burying her face in James’ chest, sobbing and thanking them and apologizing all in the same breath. It took her several minutes to calm down, and once she had she realized there was one person who hadn’t joined in on the hug. 

Alduin gave her a relieved, happy smile as she stood to approach him, and he pulled her into his arms once she was close enough. The men looked on, understanding that the duo needed a moment together-- they’d been through this trauma together from the very start, and after finally getting absolution a million years overdue, it was to be expected that they both might feel slightly raw. Finally, the _ dovah _ pulled away, only to lean down and brush a kiss to her head. “ ** _Vahrukte nis ahraan mu naan lingrah, Dovahkiin._ **” 

The blonde gave a soft, watery laugh at that and nodded. “I know, Alduin... we're free. Thank you.” She was pulled into Alduin’s arms again, and a second later he shifted to a mass of glowing gold and blue light that surrounded her for a moment before fading, leaving Min with the features they’d become so accustomed to seeing. She turned to her men and gave them a tremulous smile, then began laughing as they converged on her again to hug her. 

Erik gave them a smile, having hung back so they could have their moment. He looked towards the door as if debating whether he should leave before yelping as he was grabbed and yanked into the group hug as well. “If Tony wasn’t getting out of the group hug, you’re not either!” Min gave him a grin, and even though Logan and James started laughing at what must have been some inside joke, Erik couldn’t find it in himself to do much beyond a bit of good-natured grumbling. 

And honestly… it was nice to feel like he was so welcome in such a tight-knit group anyway.

-

“So, Tony, you know how you were getting on my case about cursing fate when Victor showed up?”

“Yeah Stephen, I remember, but why-- oh, you’ve **_got_** to be kidding me!!” 

**Author's Note:**

> Min and Alduin have suffered for long enough. It's time they get the chance to move forward without that grief weighing them down. 
> 
> Dovahzul translations: 
> 
> Brinaahi - My sister  
Vahrukte nis ahraan mu naan lingrah, Dovahkiin - The memories can't hurt us anymore, Dragonborn.  



End file.
